Virtual Reflection Group Meetings as a Structured Active Learning Method to Enhance Perceived Competence in Critical Care: Focus Group Interviews With Advanced Practice Nursing Students

Background Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are in high demand in critical care units. In Norway, APNs are educated at the master’s degree level and acquire the competence to ensure the independent, safe, and effective treatment of patients in constantly and rapidly changing health situations. APNs’ competence embraces expert knowledge and skills to perform complex decision-making in the clinical context; therefore, it is essential that educational institutions in nursing facilitate learning activities that ensure and improve students’ achievement of the required competence. In clinical practice studies of APN education, face-to-face reflection group (FFRG) meetings, held on campus with the participation of a nurse educator and advanced practice nursing students (APNSs), are a common learning activity to improve the competence of APNSs. Although FFRG meetings stimulate APNSs’ development of required competencies, they may also result in unproductive academic discussions, reduce the time that APNSs spend in clinical practice, and make it impossible for nurse preceptors (NPs) to attend the meetings, which are all challenges that need to be addressed. Objective This study aimed to address the challenges experienced in FFRG meetings by implementing virtual reflection group (VRG) meetings and to explore the experiences of APNSs, NPs, and nurse educators in VRG meetings as an active learning method supported by technology to stimulate students’ development of the required competence to become APNs in critical care. Methods This study adopted a qualitative explorative design with 2 focus group interviews and used inductive content analysis to explore the collected data. Results The main finding is that reflection group meetings supported by technology resulted in a better-structured active learning method. The VRG meeting design allowed APNSs to spend more time in clinical practice placements. The APNSs and NPs experienced that they participated actively and effectively in the meetings, which led to a perceived increase in competence. The APNSs also perceived an improved learning experience compared with their prior expectations. Conclusions Users perceived that the implemented novel teaching design supported by technology, the VRG meeting, was a more effective method than FFRG meetings on campus to develop APNSs’ required competence in critical care. The VRG was also perceived as an improved method to solve the challenges encountered in FFRG meetings. Specifically, the APNSs felt that they were prepared to undertake complex decision-making with a higher level of analytic cognition in a clinical context and to lead professional discussions in the ward. This developed teaching design can easily be adapted to diverse educational programs at various levels of professional education.